Physicians and dentists who work for hospitals and clinics run by Los Angeles County and who care for patients in its jails and juvenile facilities are weighing a possible strike over what union officials argue are inadequate benefits that have hampered employee retention and led to alarming levels of vacancies.
When Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law that set a first-in-the-nation minimum wage for healthcare workers, three words in a bill analysis foretold potential concerns about its cost: "Fiscal impact unknown."
Three weeks after Newsom signed into law a bill giving medical employees at least $25 an hour, his administration has an estimated price tag: $4 billion in the 2024-25 fiscal year alone.
CVS Health Corp. and Walgreens Boots Alliance say that a work action by some pharmacists this week had minimal impact on operations, with most stores remaining open.